Garage construction



y 1955 L. LEQPOLD 2,712,875

GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 15, 1952 5 ShGQtS-Sht l INVENTOR LEON LEOPOI. D

ATTORNEYS y 1955 L. LEOPOLD 2,712,875

GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 15, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L l l I I l l L L l 4 L I I n i I l l 26 ATTORNEYS July 12, 1955 L. LEOPOLD 2,712,875

GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 15, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /5 INVENTOR LEON LEOPOLD BY M.MMQWH% ATTORNEYS United States Patent i GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Leon Leopold, New York, N. Y.

Application August 15, 1952, Serial No. 304,543

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-161) This invention relates to improvements in structures for the housing and storage of automobiles and has for its object to provide a multiple unit structure which can be cheaply and quickly erected on any available vacant ground in a variety of patterns suitable to the particular plot and provide storage for a large number of cars in proportion to the area of the plot.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of the kind described which is particularly adapted for erection in a narrow space alongside the wall of a building and which may be built to any desired height with approximately the same unit cost per car capacity regardless of the height of the structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of the class described wherein the storage space for each car is accessible without moving any other car and where the labor cost of receiving and delivering the cars is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of the class described which may be readily provided with automatic controls to render the operations of storing and delivering the cars entirely automatic.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention and several alternate arrangements designed for plots of different sizes.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the side of a building with a simple arrangement of my improved structure erected alongside;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 3 showing the car elevator at a storage level with car-supporting dollies on the elevator and on one of the adjacent storage platforms;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the structure with the vertical structural members on the exposed side omitted;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the mechanism for storing and handling the dollies;

Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the dolly used for supporting and transferring the cars to and from the storage platform;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5 with the dolly right side up;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the elevator floor;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 9 of one of the car storage units;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views showing the manner in which the multiple units are fastened together in erecting the structure;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a portion of the elevator showing the mechanism for shifting the dollies to and from the elevator;

Fig. 13 is a detail view of a locking mechanism for holding the dolly on the elevator;

Figs. l4, l5 and 16 are diagrammatic views showing different arrangements of the units forming the structure to suit difierent areas; and

312,875 Patented July 12, 1955 Figs. 17 and 18 are detail views showing certain modifications of the elevator and dolly for use with the structures shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16.

Referring to the drawings, particularly to Fig. l, 1 is a building, for example a six-story apartment house, having on one side a narrow areaway adjacent a wall without windows. On such site a structure embodying my invention may be erected to accommodate eight cars to each two stories of the building on a ground area of approximately 7 /2 x 60 feet.

As shown, my improved structure consists of two tiers 4 of structural steel, with an intermediate elevator shaft 5, erected alongside the blank wall 2 to which the tiers may be anchored at spaced points to increase the wind resistance of the structure.

The structure may be built to any desired height and will preferably be the same height as the adjoining building with the elevator shaft extending beyond the roof to house the elevator machinery.

The two tiers are preferably constructed as a multiple unit system, the units being identical except that heavier steel is used for the lower units than for the upper units because of the greater load to be carried. Preferably the multiple unit system begins with the first level above the ground level, the structure being supported on columns at the corners which are of adequate strength to support the overlying structures, depending upon the height to which the structure is erected. Each multiple unit consists of corner steel angles or channels 9 connected by bottom and top side pieces and end pieces 12. One end of each unit is closed by diagonals 13 and the sides are similarly closed by vertical angles 15 and diagonal braces 16.

The structural details of a preferred form of unit are shown in Figs. 8 to 11. As here shown the upper side angles 19 are strengthened by spaced triangular braces 1.7 welded or otherwise secured in place. The lower side pieces 11 are channels to the inner faces of which are secured track 18 of angular cross section with an inverted V- shaped track formed in its horizontal member. The tracks 18 of each section rest on the longitudinal angles 18 of the section below which are stiffened by the braces 17 so as to support the weight of the cars without sagging.

Additional longitudinal angles 19 are secured to the lower edges of the angles 10 so as to provide between such angles 19 of one section and the lower longitudinal members 11 of the overlying section a continuous space for the full length of the two tiers 4 and the elevator shaft 5 to receive, when the structure is erected, connecting channels 20 which are riveted at spaced intervals to the adjacent members It and 11 to thereby unite all the sections in a single rigid structure in such manner as to be readily taken down without injury to the individual units.

The elevator consists of a floor 21, suspended by four corner channels 22 from the superstructure 23, see Fig. 3, which carries the pulley 24 for the elevator cable. Vertical guide traclts 25 are attached to the connecting channels 20 in position to be engaged by shoes 26 carried by the channels 22 at the corners of the elevator as shown in Fig. 7.

A dolly 27 of a width somewhat less than the elevator floor but coextensive with the floor at each end is provided for each car to be stored, the dollies having wheels 23 along each side edge to rest on the tracks 18 when the dollies are shifted from the elevator into the storage units. Also on the under side of the dolly and intermediate the wheels is a longitudinal rack 29 extending the full length of the dolly with the tooth side downward in position to be engaged by Worm gears 30, see Fig. 12, carried by the elevator and depending from the floor thereof. Each worm gear 39 is attached to the end of a vator the worm 30 will engage the teeth at one end of the rack 29 and upon rotation of the shaft 31 will shift the dolly from the elevator into the storage unit.

arms/s The bracket 33 is normally held in operative position 1 by a counterweight 35 and for shifting the bracket 33 from operative to inoperative position, a solenoid 36 is provided with its core 37 attached to a sleeve mounted on the shaft 31.

The dollies 27 are preferably stored in a pit under the tier 4 at the far side of the elevator, see Figs. 3 and 4, with the topmost dolly at the level of the elevator floor. The dollies are supported in the pit on a platform 46 which can be raised or lowered as required to bring the topmost dolly to the proper level. anism may be employed for the purpose. A simple mechanism for the purpose is illustrated in thedrawing consisting of four sprocket chains 41, one at each corner of the. platform, which chains are suspended from sprocket wheels 42 supported in fixed bearings at the corner of 'l'.

the pit and connected together by suitable chains and gearing to be rotated in unison from a reversible driving motor 43. The attendant is thus able to raise and lower the platform carrying the dollies and when the surface of the next to the top dolly is flush with the floor of the elevator the uppermost dolly may be easily pushed over onto the elevator floor. The floor of the elevator is normally positioned below the level of the roadway a distance equal to the height of the dolly so that the car to be stored can be driven directly from the roadway onto the dolly.

The dollies 27 are preferably provided with channelshaped tracks 45 for receiving the wheels of the cars, the tracks being formed with chocks 46 spaced apart a distance sufiicient to receive between them the wheels of cranks for operating the bolts 47 to release the dollies when the circuit is closed through the magnet. Similar locking bolts 51 are provided in each storage compartment as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the bolts and their operating mechanisms being supported by plates 52 extending, across the units between the track sections 18. The

bolts 47 and 51 project into sockets. formed in plates 53 fixed to the under side of the dollies. The surface of the plates 53 surrounding the sockets is inclined so that when the dollies are moved onto the elevator or into the will latch into thetsockets and hold the dollies against movement until the bolts are withdrawn by energizing the magnets 50. p

I have not disclosed any particular wiring diagram for the elevator and other electrically controlled devices which must be operated in order. to transfer the cars from the street level to the storage units and return them again to the street level when they are to be taken out of storage, as the various devices may be provided with automatic controlsto bring about their operation in proper sequence,. or each. device may be individually controlled by the attendant. Preferably the elevator will have the usual floor selector control so that on-pressing the proper button the; elevator will. go to any floor selected and there stop; Also the control. circuits. for the solenoids 36,. the

Any desired mecha storage units the bolts 47 and 51, as the case may be, f;

will contain contacts carried by the elevator" registering" with fixed contacts at each floor level so that these circuits can only be closed when the elevator is stationary at a floor level.

The worm gears 30 are preferably driven through slip clutches so that when the dollies are locked in position by the bolts 47 and 51 engaging the sockets onthe under side of the dolly, the worm gear drive can slip until the contact is made through the solenoid 36 by the operator to withdraw the worm gear from engagement with the rack. An automatic switch may, however, be provided to control the current to the solenoid when the dolly reaches the proper position in the storage unit or on the elevator.

Various means may be provided for indicating to the attendant which stalls are vacant. For example, a number corresponding to one of the storage units may be painted on each dolly and that. dolly always placed in its storage unit, or a signal may be provided such as used in call bell systems to indicate which storage units are occupied. When such a system is used a switch member such as illustrated at 53 in Figs. 8 and 9 may be arranged at the end of the track section 18 to be engaged by the end of the dolly when the latter is shifted fully into place in the storage unit.

The system may readily be made completely auto. matic when the structure is employed as a private garage for the cars belonging to a particular group where the same car is to be repeatedly housed in the same storage space. In such case the buttons-controlling the elevator may be replaced by key controlled contacts which when.

closed by the renter of that particular space through a key, will energize a control circuit, which in turn will energize in proper sequence the motors, solenoids and width of the single storage unit. The arrangement shown in Fig. 14 may be used with advantagewhere the space between two adjacent buildings is wide enough. to have two adjacent tiers of units. In this arrangement each elevator E, E' f, E servesthree tiers of storage units. The elevator E serves tiers 60, 61 and 62. Tiers 6G and 61 are the same as tiers 4 in the previously described structure, and the units forming the tier 62 are similar to the above described units except that the tracks 64 extend transversely of the units instead of. longitudinally thereof. Also the vertical and diagonal bracing on: the side of the units in her 64 adjacent the elevator is omitted.

In order to serve three storage units at each level the dollies and the elevator are somewhat modified as shown in Figs. 17 and 18. Fig. 17 shows the under side of the modified dolly wherein, instead. of a single rack extending the full length of the dolly, four racks 65 are provided, the ends of the racks at the middle being separated as shown, so that the longitudinal racks will not interfere with the movement of the dolly transversely across the worm wheel 39 andv the transverse rack'slwill not interfere with the longitudinal movement of the dollies. Likewise the wheel-supporting channels 66 are arranged in sections about the perimeter of the dolly in such manner that the transverse wheels will not interfere with the longitudinal movement of the dolly and the longitudinal Wheels will not interfere with the trans-' verse movement of the dolly.

The elevator is modified to the extent that additional.

elevator as well as at the ends. The worm wheels 67 are longer than the worm wheels 30 and the elevator floor is slotted as shown at 68 for a suificient distance to permit the worm wheels 67 to shift the dollies fully onto the elevator in position for the locking bolts 47 to engage the sockets on the under side of the dolly.

In Fig. 15 I have shown an arrangement wherein four tiers of storage units are supplied by a single elevator. In this arrangement two tiers 64 are provided one on each side of the elevator, the structure being otheu wise the same as for the arrangement disclosed in Fig. 14.

In Fig. 16 I have shown an arrangement whereby a number of four-unit structures such as illustrated in Fig. 15 may be interlocked together where the area of the plot permits, with each elevator serving four car storage units at each level.

It will be understood of course that other arrangements of the tiers of storage units and the elevators may be provided. It will also be understood that the structural details of the storage units and the dolly-handling devices may be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the invention as recited in the appended claims.

The expression elevator shaft means the space through which the elevator with a dolly thereon moves in its up and down passage, and the expression storage space means the spaces actually occupied by the dolly and the contiguous space which is no closer to the path of movement of the elevator than the dolly itself.

I claim:

1. An automobile storage structure comprising an elevator shaft and storage spaces for cars arranged in vertical series alongside said elevator shaft, an elevator in said shaft, dollies for the automobile to be stored and means for shifting said dollies to and from the elevator and the storage spaces comprising racks on said dollies, a movable gear on said elevator, means for shifting said gear from a position wholly within the elevator shaft to a position wherein said gear engages a rack on a dolly on the elevator and projects beyond said elevator shaft and into the adjacent storage compartment and means for rotating said gear in such position to thereby shift said dollies from a position wholly within the elevator shaft to a position in the storage compartment and Wholly beyond the elevator shaft.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the gear is a worm gear of a length such that when in rack engaging position one end is within the elevator shaft and the other end is within the storage space.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the racks on the dollies extend substantially across the elevator shaft and gears are provided at opposite sides of the elevator to selectively shift the dollies to and from storage spaces at opposite sides of said elevator shaft.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein there are two racks on the dollies arranged at right angles to each other and gears are provided at two adjacent sides of the elevator to selectively shift the dollies to and from storage spaces at adjacent sides of said elevator shaft.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein the racks on the dollies extend substantially across the elevator shaft and gears are provided on all four sides of the elevator to selectively shift the dollies to and from storage spaces at all four sides of said elevator shaft.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein the racks intersect each other and are intercepted at the point of intersection for a distance sufiicient for the inoperative rack to clear the gear in engagement with the other rack.

Preferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,465.135 Kehr Aug. 14, 1923 1,565,907 Comb Dec. 15, 1925 1,584,080 Dinkelberg May 11, 1926 1,605,220 Cuviilier et al Nov. 2, 1926 1,886,943 DHumy Nov. 8, 1932 1,931,402 Black Oct. 17, 1933 1,955,959 Harnischfeger et al Apr. 24, 1934 1,966,165 Clyde July 10, 1934 2,412,009 Rickland Dec. 3, 1946 2,675,134 Becker Apr. 13, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 701,586 France Jan. 12, 1931 501,745 Belgium Mar. 31, 1951 

